First, my own personal ghost story… While working one day, I was observing the Security monitoring room of a facility. One of the supervisors asked if I wanted to see something very strange. He then brought up a recorded video and began playing it. The security camera video showed a man with obvious mental health issues walking through the establishment. The camera followed the man as he was confronted by Security Officers and escorted out of the building. The man walked out of the building and across the street to an outdoor event area with bleacher seating. It was nighttime, but the area outside was very well lit and the camera had a very clear image of the man. I was beginning to wonder what it was I supposed to find strange when the Supervisor pointed to the screen and said “now, watch this.” The man was sitting on the bottom row of the bleachers, and appeared to be talking to himself and gesturing. Several rows above the man I saw a form moving as if walking down the stairs. The form was not a person, but had the definite shape and form of a person, only without substance. It could almost be dismissed as a light reflection, or a “ghost image” on the recording, but it was not. I have dealt with security recordings for more than 25 years now, and I can firmly say I have never observed an anomaly like this one before or since that time. I watched as the bodily form moved down the stairs to a position next to the man. The man then stood and began walking down the street, away from the building. As the camera followed him, the bodily form could be seen keeping pace, beside the man all the time, as he walked away. I stared in disbelief as the video was played over again. I looked at the Supervisor who just laughed nervously and said “We all think it’s a ghost. What do you think it is?” I knew immediately what it was…a demon, a spirit, or yeah, you could say a ghost!
Halloween is the time of the year when little witches, ghosts, and goblins make their appearance at your door begging for candy. While it is meant to be just fun and games, Halloween does at times seem a little too real. The Bible is filled with examples of what might be described as ghosts and spirits. There are numerous accounts of angels of the Lord appearing (Lk. 2:9), speaking and making announcements (Dan. 10:13), moving objects ( like the stone in front of the tomb Mt. 28:2), and even causing donkeys to speak (Numbers 22:26). However, there are other angels in this world as well: fallen angels. When Satan rebelled against God, he somehow convinced a third of the Angels in Heaven to join him. Satan and these rebellious angels, or demons, were then defeated and cast down. The result is a battle which is still raging in the unseen spirit world all around us. Satan and his demons work to deceive and destroy and the Lord’s angels work to complete God’s will on earth.
From the Bible, we see examples of various ways that demons try to deceive and destroy:
Demons can possess a person who is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of God.
“When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ And returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. Then off it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man’s last condition is worse than the first. That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.” Matthew 12:43-45
Demons can possess, or enter into, animals.
Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. As soon as He got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met Him. He lived in the tombs. No one was able to restrain him anymore—even with chains— because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had snapped off the chains and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. And always, night and day, he was crying out among the tombs and in the mountains and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before Him. And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do You have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God, don’t torment me!” For He had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” “What is your name?” He asked him. “My name is Legion,” he answered Him, “because we are many.” And he kept begging Him not to send them out of the region. Now a large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Him, “Send us to the pigs, so we may enter them.” And He gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs, and the herd of about 2,000 rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there." Mark 5:1-13
Demons can possess humans and enable them to make predictions or “tell fortunes”.
Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation, are the slaves of the Most High God.” And she did this for many days. But Paul was greatly aggravated and turning to the spirit, said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away. Acts 16:16-18
Demons can communicate with mediums and often impersonate the dead.
Saul then said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” His servants replied, “There is a woman at En-dor who is a medium.” Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you.” ... “Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel for me,” he answered. 1 Samuel 28:7-11
Demons disguise themselves as good angels to deceive humans.
For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15
Demons can perform signs and miracles to deceive.
For they are spirits of demons performing signs, who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty. Rev. 16:14
Demons always identify Jesus as the “Son of God” in scriptures.
In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean demonic spirit who cried out with a loud voice, “Leave us alone! What do You have to do with us, Jesus—Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all. Luke 4:33-35
Demons can cause a person to harm themselves
When they reached the crowd, a man approached and knelt down before Him. “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers severely. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. .. Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and from that moment the boy was healed. Matthew 17:14-18
Demons engage with God’s angels in spiritual warfare all the time.
“Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.” Daniel 10:12-14
Do not take this spiritual warfare lightly. As a Christian, we are warned to be prepared for battle. It is imperative that we are ready at all times.
